08/05/2026
If you have ever fallen down the rabbit hole of a wildly titled soap opera on TikTok, there is a good chance you have seen Kasey Esser ’11.
The Evansville native graduated from UE with a degree in Applied Exercise Science before moving to Los Angeles, where he opened Essers of Los Angeles, a semi-private personal training studio he operated for 10 years. Then, a long-held dream took center stage.
Today, Kasey is one of the most recognizable actors in vertical microdramas, phone-first serialized shows created to be watched in short episodes. He has starred in more than 55 productions that have accumulated over 500 million views, earning recognition from Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Cosmopolitan, The Washington Post, and other major outlets.
Most recently, Kasey appeared alongside Jimmy Fallon and John Stamos in Who Billionaire? Me Billionaire, the first microdrama produced for The Tonight Show.
Watch it on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com//search?query=Who%20Billionaire
Kasey has also stepped behind the camera, producing Love in the Shadows and developing his own action microdrama, Love Under Fire. His work has taken him from an international fan event in the Philippines to the first vertical-drama fan convention.
At UE, Kasey was involved with Sigma Alpha Epsilon and the Exercise Science Club. He chose the University because it gave him an opportunity to stand out, develop lasting skills, and feel “like a person and not just a number amongst the masses.”
His advice to future alumni reflects the persistence behind his own career:
“Whatever dream fills your heart with enthusiasm, do not ever give up on it...you were meant to achieve it and share that with the world.”
Kasey continues to support UE because, as he puts it, “I want to give back what they have given to me in my life.”
Do you or a fellow Ace have a story to share? Submit an Alumni Spotlight form at https://www.uealumnionline.com/spotlight.